Subway Tile Installation: Three Basic Tips
Subway tile- what’s not to like? It’s classic and timeless. A fairly easy tile to work with and install. And the white subway tile is usually pretty inexpensive. In this post I will talk about three things that can help to get you started with your subway tile installation. These things will work for any application, whether it’s a shower, bathtub, or kitchen backsplash.
Ceramic Subway Tile: 3 Pro Installation Secrets
Layout Lines
When it comes to laying out subway tile, I always draw two vertical lines – one for each offset row. If I were to tile the back wall of a shower or bathtub surround with subway tile I would generally start with a vertical center line. Then off of the center line I would draw the offset line. So for a typical 3×6 subway tile these two lines will be 3 inches apart.
However, for 3×6 subway tile I usually draw the lines either 9 or 15 inches apart. Why? So I can get a trowel in between the lines. This allows me to trowel thinset on the wall without covering up the lines with the mortar. You can draw your lines 3 inches apart but you’ll have to back butter thinset on half the tile before you install it.
Bullnose Trim for Subway Tiles
Many people buy their white 3×6 subway tile at big box stores where the trim options can be limited. For instance, the 3×6 subway tile that Home Depot sells is from Daltile. But for a trim tile they only sell a 2×6 bullnose tile and a 2×2 out corner. However, Daltile makes some other options (page 4 in this link) in the same 3×6 white tile (color 0100). They make a 3×6 tile where the three inch end is bullnosed. They also make a 3×6 tile where the six inch side is bullnosed. This allows you to keep the pattern going out to the edge of the wall rather than break the pattern with a 2×6 bullnose tile.
Tired of Bullnose Tile Trim? Here’s 5 Tile Edge Trim Alternatives
I don’t think Dal sells to the general public so you’ll probably have to order from a specialty tile store or maybe special order from Home Depot. But the 3×6 white subway tile is very popular and comes with many different trim options.
Carrying the Pattern Through a Corner
Generally speaking, when you come to the end of a wall and you want the subway tile installation to look like it “wraps” onto the next wall. A 3 sided shower for example: You would typically center the back wall so the cuts are even on both sides. Then you want the inside corner to look like the tile “continues” onto both side walls. One way of doing this is to take the actual pieces that you cut off and put those on the next wall. Then the cuts would be exactly like the subway tile pattern continues.
Most of the time you’ll want whole/half bullnose tiles on the exposed end of the wall. So you can layout the rows so that the big tile from the end wall meets up with the small tile on the back wall. And vice versa. Lay it out ahead of time and choose whichever way looks the best. Sometimes it’s right in the middle so that neither option looks good. We’ll cover that problem in the next post.
This post is just to offer some basic subway tile installation tips. The next post will cover some pro tips for subway tiles. Let me know what questions that you have in the comments below.
Ceramic Subway Tile: 3 Pro Installation Secrets
Kristy says
I want to install beveled subway tile backsplash in my kitchen. What do I do about gap around outlet cover due to bevel?
I don’t want a gap to show when viewing from the side.
diy tile guy says
What most people do is fill in the sides with grout or caulk. You could also frame each outlet in marble or something so that the outlet cover sits flat on something.
Amy says
I’m doing a subway tile in my 3 wall shower, but there is a bench. I’m trying to figure out how to make it look like the tile wraps around the corners without messing up the lines on the wall where the bench is. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you!
diy tile guy says
Typically, I will make the main wall corners wrap and then try and make the bench look as good as possible.
Sometimes sacrifices have to be made. But sometimes you can change the bench to work for the layout. Just do the best that you can.
dave smith says
i’m doing a kitchen back splash which has a window with a rounded corners. the person i’m doing it for is using white 3×6 white beveled tile. what options do i have going around the corners?
diy tile guy says
I think your best option would be to 3-piece it. Put in a small 3/4-7/8 inch cut on the corner with 22.5 degree miters.
I just posted a photo on my Twitter account to show what this looks like. The tile isn’t beveled but it’s the same concept for beveled tiles.
Ray Calvello says
When you get to the inside corners of a three wall bath surround , how much gap do you leave between the wall and the last tile on either side of the corner using 1/8th spacers? Thanks!! Ray
diy tile guy says
The correct answer is 1/8 inch but, personally, I do narrow that up if the grout joints are thinner. A gap is necessary, though.
Nelson says
Whatever happened to subway tiles that had a notch to butt them together? I like that fine line of grout. Home Depot and Lowe’s sell tiles without that notch… I fear if I butt them together the grout will not get in any nook and cranny not covered by the thin set. Are these ok to use or I am going to have to do 1/8 spacers?
diy tile guy says
Last time I looked the subway tile available at Home Depot still has the lug (used to be lugs) on them. Lowes carries a similar product and I would think that theirs has it too.
The lug is now continuous along the entire length of the tile. It does make for a tight joint but butting the tiles is an acceptable way of installing them.
[See Step 2: Layout in this document found on Daltile’s website)
https://daltile.com/inspiration-and-tips/tips-and-resources/tips-and-resources/installation-tips/installing-wall-and-countertop-tile
However, there’s nothing wrong with increasing the spacing and I think your grout options would be limited to nonsanded grout. If you wanted to use something like an epoxy grout then I would increase the spacing just a bit.
Kristen Hallock says
I am DIYing my tile backsplash. The tile is 2×6″ Sonoma Stellar tile. Grout lines will be 1/8″. The tile will need to go around an inner corner since its an L-shaped kitchen. I’ve laid it out using your 1/4, 3/4 pattern starting at the inner corner. This worked well because there are no tiny slivers around windows or at the end of the run.
I have a question though about how to arrange the tiles in the inner corner where the 2 walls meet. Does one tile butt up against the wall and then the “wrapping” tile goes up against that tile with a 1/8″ spacer in between? Or do you leave a small space in the corner that you fill with caulk and then just have the 2 tiles meet just slightly away from the corner? Or do you miter the tiles so that they fit together (or with a 1/8″ grout line?). I dont know what is the right thing to do here.
Thanks!
Kristen says
Hey while you’re at it, do you know what I should be using to mark this tile when I need to cut it? It stains from regular pencil!
diy tile guy says
Sounds like a tough one. A really sharp pencil with small marks might still work. They also make wax crayons that might do the job. I’ve never cared for these as the tips always seem too fat and they need to be sharpened too often.
Also, you could put a piece of blue or green painters tape on the tile and mark on that. The tile will have to be dry and sometimes the tape will want to come off with a wet saw but otherwise it works.
diy tile guy says
The proper way is to run one wall past with 1/8″ gap between the tile and the wall. Then run the other wall into it and leave 1/8″ gap between the tiles.
Sometimes the shape of the tiles will dictate that you do it differently. For instance, with beveled subway tile you can’t butt one tile into another because of the shape of the bevel (unless you want to cope (cut) around the bevel). In this case, mitering the tiles is the better way to go. You still want a gap, though.
steve says
Hi, looking to install a 3″ by 12″ ceramic tile as my kitchen backsplash. Any recommended trowel size of this large subway tile?
diy tile guy says
1/4 x 1/4 square notch or maybe a 1/4 x 3/8. Depends on the tile, substrate, mortar, etc.
Elizabeth Carter says
Do you know if American Olean subway tile from Lowe’s has the same option of special ordering? They only have 2×6 bullnose in store. I wanted to not use bullnose at all for my wainscoting in the bathroom to keep it uniform but my contractor thinks that it will look unfinished. I think the tile edge isn’t bad at all and would probably look fine but I’m torn on what to do. I cannot find a match to their ‘glossy white’ color anywhere. And I’m not digging the Schluter trim either which everyone suggests. Have you ever used just the 3×6 with no trim?
diy tile guy says
I wouldn’t use it with no trim but your question about the American Olean tile is something that I’ve been curious about myself being as AO and Daltile (Home Depot’s brand) are owned by the same parent company- Marazzi.
You might try to visit a tile showroom somewhere and see if they can find out more. Also, if you have an AO distributor in your area you might call and ask them. They won’t sell to the public but they will know about their own lines of tile.
Paul McLeod says
I have a bunch of Daltile Restore 3×6 that I’m using. Do you know of a matching 3″ bullnose tile I could use? Home Depot only has the 2×6″ bullnose as you noted. I see the 3″ bullnose in some of their other lines but not sure if it will match the “restore” line.
diy tile guy says
I haven’t heard of the Restore line but after a quick Googling it appears that it’s something that is exclusive to Home Depot. My guess is that Dal is rebranding their same subway tile for HD.
Your best option would probably be to bring your tile down to a Daltile showroom and see if they can match the color. Rittenhouse is what Daltile calls their 3×6 line. It used to be color #100 that matched the Home Depot gloss white.
Tom says
My tiler is butting 3×6 bullnose against each other as outer corner pieces where two walls come together. The resulting grout line going up the wall is not straight. Is it me, or isn’t there a corner tiles that can accomplish this and look CORRECT? Is it time to get a new tiler?
diy tile guy says
So is the tile person putting two bullnose pieces on the corner? Normally, one piece will round into a field tile (normal non-trim) piece.
If both pieces come together then that doesn’t sound right to me and seems like a waste of material.
If he’s mitering the pieces then that’s different. But either way, the line should be reasonable straight.
randy jarzyna says
I would like the best advice for the current situation. Currently have a new mortar bed installed. Here is how its set up-
Sub floor, pitched plywood over sub floor, custom fiberglass over pitched plywood, regard over fiberglass, mortar bed on top of regard.
I was planning on regarding the wall, here is the question – Would you also regard the motor bed for extra protection ?
diy tile guy says
No, I wouldn’t. Your shower is either waterproof or not. Adding an additional layer of waterproofing over the top can have unintended consequences. I would flood test your shower by plugging the drain and filling it up with water and letting it sit for one-day minimum. Then check the water level.
If the flood test checks out then you can feel ok about moving forward.
Mike says
I am remodeling an old bathroom . After removing the plaster walls, I have 66 1/2 inches between walls for a new 66 in tub. Are there options besides adding 2 layers of drywall or concrete board on one side of the tub?
DIYTileGuy says
First, I would confirm the rough in size. If the rough in is, indeed, supposed to be 66 inches then the only thing that can be done is to fur the wall or the 1/2 inch.
Can you split the difference and have the backer board stuck out past the flange on both sides? If not, you’ll have to favor one side or the other.
Milissa says
Hi I used custom blend non modified thin set mortar gray in color for my tile. Then i used white grout which is now turning gray from the mortar bleeding thru. Is there anything i can use to stop the mortar color from bleeding thru. Different color of grout is not an option. Any suggestions? Thanks
DIYTileGuy says
I’m wondering if the gray thinset is too close to the surface of the grout joint? You might try scraping down the mortar and grout completely out of the grout joint then regrout.
Sorry to say that you’ve learned the hard way why white thinset is a great choice for white tile and white grout.
Amber says
Hello,
I am using the 3×6 American Olean Bright Series subway tile for the shower (this is the tile we are using :https://www.lowes.com/pd/American-Olean-Starting-Line-Gloss-White-Ceramic-Subway-Tile-Common-3-in-x-6-in-Actual-3-in-x-6-in/3083627).
I am able to locate the 3×6 bullnose on the 6in side but I have having troubles locating the 3×6 in bullnose on the 3in side. Would changing it to the Daltile 3in 3×6 bullnose make a huge difference in color?
DIYTileGuy says
I’m not sure how closely Daltile will match tile at Lowe’s.
I think Lowe’s carries tile from American Olean? If so, you should be able to check the closest American Olean showroom and see if they carry the bullnose options that you are looking for.
Tom Shaughnessy says
I am installing subway tile for a backsplash in our kitchen. When we removed the old cabinets we knew there was a chimney in one corner. After removing the old cabinet it wasn’t exposed brick but mortared over the brick and the exposed corner of the chimney is now a sharp radius. The only solution I can think of is to go ahead and frame this in to have a square corner – any options on tile over a radius?
DIYTileGuy says
I would think framing it in would be a good option. It is possible to stick tile directly to the mortar but then tying it into the rest of the wall sounds difficult. Maybe a framing in a 45 degree angle would be an option?
Tom Shaughnessy says
After removing the cabinets in the kitchen of our 110 year old house it exposed plaster walls. That is why they used so much wallpaper in that there are visible weaves in the finish. Also at one time some of the plaster was removed and replaced with drywall. the joints are not smooth or even in some. How flat a surface is required to install the tile?
DIYTileGuy says
Well, I can quote industry standards which are: Not more than 1/4 inch deviation in 10ft and not more than 1/16th inch in 12 inches.
As a general rule of thumb, the flatter the walls are the smoother things will go and the better it will look. I don’t know if you can fill in the valleys and dips with a feather finish flattening product, or not?
If you are using subway tile then the overlapping tiles really need a flat surface to look right. The rows just won’t “roll” like it would if the tiles were lined up.
Naturally, you don’t want the tile to roll with the substrate but it’s impossible to do with subway tile.
Debbie says
I want to install subway tile as a tub/shower surround. Is it okay to use ceramic tile versus porcelain in a shower since ceramic has a higher water absorption value? Thanks.
DIYTileGuy says
Ceramic tile usually has a glaze on it and it’s ok for well areas as long as the shower is properly built.
But you should go with a reputable manufacturer and check if they approve the tile for wet applications.
I have seen ceramic subway tile that shouldn’t be installed in a shower.